Fatum Erratur
by StellasProdigy
Summary: An incident long ago once interrupted the Fates design and the events following leads to the end of Hermione Granger's world as she knows it. It is time for the design to be repaired, and who else but Hermione Granger to do so? Marauders/Time travel AU
1. Chapter 1

**So this is a story that have been begging me to be written since I read my first (well written) time travel/marauder fanfiction. I couldn't help myself, I had to get this out. To all of you that follow me as an author and has been waiting for me to update my other stories, the wait is finally over. Expect to see some updates by this weekend. I have already started working on all of the stories' next chapters. Hopefully, if everything goes to plan everything will be updated a chapter by this Sunday. Fingers crossed.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters or names affiliated with the name. All rights reserved for J.K. Rowling and all of her magnificence. Any other characters and names are mine.**

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Something is wrong. Something had to have gone wrong.

It didn't make any sense. None of it made any sense. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. Everyone she knew and loved was not supposed to die. In the end there was supposed to be a victor. Everyone was not suppose to die and leave her here all alone in the wake of deaths.

Harry was supposed to be here.

Harry was supposed to win and Voldemort would die. The Order, or what was left of it, was supposed to gather up all the death eaters and send them to Azkaban. Then she was supposed to jump and run into Harry's arms where he would kiss her. Kiss her so thoroughly that she would forget what had occurred during that whole year they were on the run. And then they would date before they would eventually marry, and live happily ever after with their children.

 _Oh, Harry._

They had only just confessed their love for one another. It took them seven years, but they finally did it. There wasn't any Ginny, or Cho, or Ron, seeing as he left them high and dry only to be caught and killed by Death Eaters. It was nothing left in their way. And everything progressed as it should have been.

 _I stared unseeingly down at the locket on the table. Ron left days ago. All this fuss, I mused, over a silly little chain. I chuckled morbidly._

 _"What?" I heard Harry ask._

 _Shit, I must have been chuckling aloud. Great, now he thinks you've lost it._

 _"Nothing," I shook my head. "I'm just think about how we got here. How everything has completely gone to shit." I spat._

 _My mood hadn't been the best lately. My ever running sense of optimism had long gone run out. And as hungry and tired and frustrated as I was, nothing could ever make me leave Harry alone. Nothing._

 _But Harry didn't let it all get to him. Or at the very least, he didn't let it show. He's kept the radio off since Ron left. He didn't want to hear how many more people dying. Ron brought up that fact when he stormed away from us and Harry has yet to turn the radio back on. Just thinking about everything Ron said and did made me boil all over again. How could he just leave us? Leave Harry._

 _My attention was pulled from my thoughts by an exaggerated gasp. I turn to look Harry. His eyes are tired but they have yet to lose that emerald shine. His hair is a mess, although that's not anything new, and the beginnings of hair are making their way around his jawline._

 _"Did Hermione Granger just curse?" Harry gasps mockingly. I couldn't fight the smile that made its way to my lips._

 _"Oh shut up, Potter. You have said a lot worse." I rolled my eyes._

 _"Yeah. I have." He agreed. He gets up from where he sat on the bed and sat beside me near the makeshift workbench. "But I don't think everything has gone to complete shit. Not yet."_

 _I look at him with awe. How he found a way to remain positive and keep some shred of hope astounds me. That, right there, is why he is who he is. That's what makes him so amazing. That is exactly why I lo-_

 _I feel my cheeks instantly heat at my thoughts. They were heading in dangerous territory. I have been fighting it down for a long while. But being out here all alone has made it harder to avoid. He's constantly near me and because there is not much space to move round, we're constantly touching and bumping into each other. I doubt he notices, but my body definitely does. And it's been making it that much harder to deny._

 _"Why Ms. Granger, what are you thinking of?" I pointedly ignored Harry's gaze. I could practically hear that smirk in his voice. Just seeing that mischievous playful tint in his eyes would make me turn even redder._

 _I never answered him. I kept my gaze firmly on the locket and went back to studying it._

 _But his gaze never left me. I could still feel them on me. The hair at the nape of my neck raised and my skin prickled._

 _I looked up and made eye contact. And the air seemed to charge with electricity. A shocking current ran down my spine as his eyes stared at me with an intensity I had never seen anyone look at anybody, and especially not me. My throat tightened and I found it harder to breathe._

 _"What?" I asked, cringing at how breathless I sound._

 _His eyes darkened a shade. And I couldn't decide if that was my new favorite color or not._

 _"I've never really seen you blush before. I've seen you do many things. But never have I ever seen you blush. It's...really beautiful."_

 _I swallowed tightly. My eyes widened at his words. Beautiful? Me? I know I have come a long way from the way I looked as a child, but I still wouldn't go so far as to call myself beautiful. I licked my lips and watched as his eyes flickered down to them, darkening further._

 _"I mean, you've always been beautiful. You were the first girl I ever really paid any attention to. You came out of nowhere really. Big curls that seemed to have a life of their own. And large wide smile and sparkling coffee colored eyes. You've always been beautiful Hermione." He spoke still looking that at my lips._

 _Instantly I snorted._

 _"Yeah right. You're clearly dehydrated." I rolled my eyes trying to ignore the feeling his words gave me._

 _He wasn't in the right mind right now. He wasn't thinking clearly. Maybe he's just missing Ginny and he thinks that I could replace her. I mentally smack myself for thinking that way. Harry isn't like that. And even if he was. Ginny and I are on two completely different levels._

 _"I'm not dehydrated Hermione."_

 _"Well maybe you're exhausted."_

 _"I'm not exhausted either." He snapped. I looked wide eyed towards him. Harry rarely used that tone of his and he's never used it towards me. I bit my lip unsure of what was happening._

 _He sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I just hate when you talk about yourself as if you're unattractive. You are beautiful. More than. So what if not everyone notices, I do."_

 _He moved closer to me until our thighs felt as if they had been glued together. Unconsciously our heads had been slowly moving closer and closer together. I could feel his cool breath on my face._

 _"Harry, what are we doing?" I whispered. I had to know. I couldn't bear the thought that he'd regret as soon as it was over. I wasn't strong enough._

 _"What I should have done a long time ago." He whispered, smiling slightly before colliding his lips on mine._

He told me he loved me that night. I didn't say it until the next day when I woke in his arms and he smiled my favorite smile down at me. He hadn't forgotten or regretted that night. He remembered it, in perfect detail. And just like that, I was able to see a lot clearer.

I touched the ring that hung on the chain around my neck. My eyes watered.

 _"It's not an engagement ring," he smiled shyly. "Not yet. So don't put it on. I want to do that. But now isn't the right time, not when we're both too afraid we won't make it to see another day. No, I'm going to do it right. I will propose to you the right way, the perfect way. Just the way you deserve."_

 _I was too choked up to do anything but smile and tear up. He wiped the tears away from my face._

 _"Wear it on this chain around your neck. So nothing happens to it." He whispered in my ear as I lifted my hair so he could put it on me._

 _"Sirius told me it was my mother's and my grandmother's before that. My father somehow knew his last days were approaching and snuck his and my mom's rings back into the Potter vaults. Sirius knew before even I did that one day I would take my head out of my arse and see the beautiful witch in front of me."_

He promised me that he would live. That he would make it and that we could finally start our lives together. Away from it all and be just Harry and Hermione.

But it didn't happen that way. One by one the Weasleys fell. First Fred, then George, who killed himself out of grief. Then Ginny, and then Molly. Arthur had died when his back was turn as he watched his wife and children fall. Then it was Remus and Tonks. Tonks was still pregnant with a little boy they were going to name after her father. _Teddy._ She could still see Tonks' swollen stomach ready to pop any day now, and her lifeless body beside her husband's.

Moody was next to go actually. After ruthlessly avenging his fallen fellow Order members and taking down a grand total of nine death eaters, her was slain by Voldemort himself. Left and right death eaters and classmates and professors she had known her entire life dying right before her eyes.

And not before long Voldemort erected a forcefield around he and Harry. He and Voldemort battled furiously. Not many were left. I dodged and threw curses and shields, but in the end it was useless.

When there curses collided it created an explosion large enough to knock over everyone in the field. It threw back several yards where I hit my head on a rock. I didn't wake up until hours later. It was nightfall and bodies still laid haphazardly on the ground. There weren't many left. It turns out that when the aurors turned up to gather the deatheaters, all of them were dead, even those that had not been at the battle. None of the deatheaters knew that when given Voldemort's mark, he linked their magical core to his. Which allow him to draw magic from their core, weakening them and strengthening himself. So when he officially died and his magical core was depleted, so was theirs. And sadly many sixth and seventh years Slytherins were apart of that huge massacre.

But no one dared to touch Harry. I hunched over his body cradling him close to me. I brushed his hair back that had grown shabby and wild, similar to Sirius', and held him tightly to my body. My body was wracked with sobs and I clawed at anyone that came near us.

 _"Harry, baby. I'm here. It's okay. It's going to be okay. I love you Harry. I love you so much. Baby, I have you. You don't have to be afraid anymore. It's over it's all over. You did it."_

But he didn't. It didn't work. It was supposed to work. But it didn't.

 _Something is wrong. Something had to have gone wrong._

"You are absolutely right Ms. Granger."

I whirled around at the voice with my wand drawn. My eyes flickered around Dumbledore's office frantically at the sudden intrusion.

I ran hear after they forced me away from Harry's body. I have been here ever since. No one ever visits the castle. Not since the battle.

"It is only I Ms. Granger." I gasped again at the voice and whirled around to see-

" _Professor Dumbledore_?" My voice was raspy from the no use. His painting sat on the floor, yet to have been hung. He wasn't there before.

He nodded. "I apologize for not coming sooner. I was with the other portraits. I had always wondered exactly how these portraits worked. I knew that a portion of the magical core was needed to make them sentient, but I had no idea it was like this."

His voice was still melodious and soft. But he didn't look the way I remembered him. He wasn't sick or tired or exhausted. He looked, younger actually. Younger and happier. Who ever had the painting commissioned for him must have done long ago.

"Professor Dumbledore..." I drifted off staring at him unbelievingly. All the anger that I had built up regarding him had went away momentarily. I was just relieved to see someone that I used to know.

His eyes turned sad. "My child, you can not let yourself waste away like this."

And the anger returned. What did he expect me to look like. I knew I was a horrid sight. Dried blood was caked on my dirty and torn clothes. Scratches and cuts scabbed over and started the process of scarring. My hair—don't even get me started on that. My eyes were probably dreadfully red and puffy. I was sitting on the floor surrounding by a sea of books. I was looking for something—anything that could help me figure out what went wrong.

"I couldn't help but overhear you mumbling something to yourself. _'Something went wrong'._ Am I correct?" He didn't wait for me to answer before he stood up and walked out of the painting. I watched as he moved through the empty canvases that were in the room. I had always wondered why he kept empty canvases in his office.

"Aha. Right over here Ms. Granger." He was staring at a wall. He urged me forward when he saw my look. I sighed before hefting myself off the floor. I could hear bones cracking but ignored them and walked over to the wall that Dumbledore stared at.

"If you could just feel for a groove along the wall and then push you shall understand."

I looked at him confused, but I didn't have it any me to argue or question him. I didn't have much left in me. I felt along the wall slowly feeling for the groove in the wall. He continued to talk.

"When the wall moves aside there will be a few books in there. Get the blue book with the silver trim. In there I marked a page."

When I felt the groove I pushed into it just as Dumbledore instructed. I heard a slight _whoosh_ -ing sound and the wall slid over just like he said. There were only a few books in there and I quickly found the blue book with the silver trim that Dumbledore described.

I opened it to the page Dumbledore had marked. There were small photographs in rows of people. A yearbook.

"I don't understand."

"Look back down at the page and tell me if you notice anything odd about one of the names."

I huffed, fed up with Dumbledore's games. Why does he have to always be so cryptic. His riddles were really getting old. Whatever happened to just telling something that you wanted them to know? He's played these games for years. He played them with Harry and I don't have the energy to put up with his bullsh—

I gasp. "Anastasia Romanov?" I looked to Dumbledore confused. "But I thought..."

"So did I, Ms. Granger. As did I. And I didn't discover this until just recently. However I did discover that the Romanovs come from a long line of squibs. I couldn't get much farther than that. I suspect the murders of the Romanovs must have been too much for her to handle, and that since little Anastasia Romanov was a...muggleborn, let's say, her magic manifested. It must have caused her magic to go haywire. It's all a theory really, and I thought I was only imagining something. Over there, check the green book with the gold trimmings." He pointed back to the hole in the wall.

I rushed to grab the next book. I quickly turned to the page he marked. It was a passage this time.

 _In ancient Greek Mythology the Moirai, otherwise known as the Fates in English, controlled the threads of Destiny. Clotho, Lacehesis, and Atropos were the three metaphorical representations of destiny to determine the life and fate of every mortal and God. Many believe them to be harsh and blunt, unforgiving and cruel. But such is all speculation. No one has ever seen the Fates as they keep themselves hidden from the eyes of the mortals and Gods._

 _In Albania there is a legend about the Fates that describe the three woman as fair beautiful women. The tales says that the woman live in a tower high enough to touch the sky and an unending amount of rooms. Every room contains a line of threads, interconnected and woven as people create ties and establish relationships. But each thread is said to be tied to a focal point in the tower: the yarn of time. The yarn is large ball of threads that control time and space. When someone upsets Fates design the thread loosens from the thread of time and misfortune larger than can be imagined befalls that thread and every thread spun of it. The only way for the error to be corrected is for the Fates to unwind the tangles and disruptions in the thread by restoring the original timeline._

 _Misfortune larger than one could imagine._

"Are they connected? I don't understand? Just what are you trying to tell me?" I sighed to Dumbledore placing both books back into the nook in the wall.

"Ms. Granger, what misfortune could be larger than witnessing the murder and death of everyone you ever loved?" His voice was soft but the words still cut and stung.

"So you think that...what? Anastasia Romanov somehow disrupted the Fates design and caused her entire family to die and the Fates attempted to fix this mistake by sending her sending her twenty years into the future as her younger counterpart?"

"The year 1938 is when I took my first post as the Transfiguration professor. That could explain why I was so distracted and didn't notice this. However, I looked through Pomfrey's records during that year and the girl had no recollection of her past life. All she appeared out of nowhere with no family and only knew her name. No one recognized the name since her family was believed to be muggles. But Anastasia graduated married and eventually did have children."

"'...befalls that thread and ever thread spun of it.' You believe that I am a descendant of Anastasia Romanov." I finally understood. "Well that is not possible since I am muggleborn. Neither of my parents are magical nor any of their parents. I studied my family tree on both sides. Trust me, there is no one magical there."

"Ah, yes. Which is why I never suspected it to be you. Therefore I figured I was only seeing something where there was nothing. It did not occur to me until only a few moments ago. Do you recall a moment ago when you were muttering that something was wrong? You feel it in your body that something just isn't right. You know that everything was not supposed to end this way. You do. You lost everyone you loved as well, similar to Ms. Romanov."

I thought for a minute. Of course there were similarities. But if that were the case then I am related to every other person who has lost all of their family members to death. And I know for sure that is simply not possible.

"Ms. Granger I know it may be hard for you to understand..."

"Something still just doesn't add up to your theory, professor. Let's say that I am Anastasia's heir or descendant, and she messed with the fates in some way. The passage said the Fates would attempt to restore the original timeline and detangle the thread. I figure you believe that Anastasia's 'rebirth' would be the Fates idea of restoring the timeline, then the timeline would be corrected. Then why did I still end up like this. All alone. I didn't do anything wrong, at least I don't think so."

"Yes. You are correct, but just because you do not remember messing with the timeline and fate does not mean that you did not. You could have done it by accident, or perhaps someone did it for you. Take out the smallest black book in there. The pages are raggedy and most are torn. Sirius brought it to me when he found it in Grimmauld Place in his brother's old room. He believes it to be Regulus' diary."

I grabbed the book and flipped through it. Most of the pages were torn or had been ripped out. The remaining pages were water stained and the ink ran making the words impossible to read.

"You can't read any of this." I gritted my teeth.

"Patience Ms. Granger. Turn to the last page and repeat after me. Now say, Librus Revelarium."

I repeated the words and the book transformed. The pages were now clean and new. The penmanship was neat and now more easily read. I gasp at the words at that were revealed.

 _ **Rest In Heavenly Peace**_

 _ **Hermione Tsarina Black**_

 _ **Beloved Daughter**_

 _ **Mommy and Daddy would never forget you**_

 _ **August 19, 1980**_

"I wasn't aware Regulus had a child.." My eyes couldn't believe the words.

"Neither did anyone else. Sirius came to me with the information and asked if I could find out more about it. He died before I could tell he much more. All I was ever able to discover was that she died not long after she was born. Her mother had just passed not long after her birth.. I suspect that this was the motivation that Regulus needed to defect."

"You think that I am her." I accused him. He nodded.

"I do. I don't think that she was supposed to die then. And perhaps due to the Fates interruption you were reborn as Hermione Granger rather than Hermione Black. Had you been born how you were originally intended to, perhaps none of this would have ended this way."

I gently shut the book and put that back as well before closing the nook in the wall. I didn't want to think anymore. My brain hurt and my heart hurt and I didn't understand why he was telling me all of this now.

It was done. It was all over. It ended this way anyway and now there was nothing that I could do about it. Did he expect me to fix it? Of course he did. He's Albus Dumbledore and he always have something up his sleeves. He couldn't help himself.

"Ms. Granger I know that this all may be very hard for you, but—"

"No. You don't. You don't know anything. You think you do and you wait until it's the most opportune moment for _you_ to reveal it, but you just don't get it. Do you? It's over. They're gone. They're all gone and I am here. There is nothing that I can do about that now. And I am tired." I sob out exhausted feeling everything finally crashing down on me. "I'm just so tired. So please, just leave me alone. I can't do anything about what happened no matter how much I try or read through these books." I gestured towards the books that lay scattered on the floor at my feet.

"I'm sorry. But I'm just not capable of fighting anymore. I don't have anymore left in me."

He was thoughtful for a moment.

"I'm sorry that you feel that way." He said and walked slowly back to his original painting. And I thought that he was finally going to leave me alone. But he stopped before completely leaving his office.

"I still believe that you have much more fight in you left. You're special Hermione. You have always been, right from the very beginning. Now it's just up to you to remember that."

And then he left. Left me back in this silence that was uncomfortable. The silence was deafening and I screamed. I screamed out the anguish and anger and all the pain I was feeling. I screamed out all of the hurt and frustration. I screamed for my parents who were killed on the plane to Australia in a plane crash. I screamed for all of the Weasleys and Remus and Tonks and Sirius. I screamed for poor little Teddy Lupin who never got to grace the world with his presence. And I screamed for Harry. I screamed for him not keeping his promise and surviving.

I screamed until my throat was raw and my voice disappeared. Tears streamed down my face and I fought to catch my breath. I kicked at the books at my foot and slumped against the wall. I stared blankly at the spot in the wall where the invisible nook sat. Where behind the walls hid three books that further hid secrets. Secrets that could possible help end all of the pain that I was feeling.

 _What misfortune could be larger than witnessing the murder and death of everyone you ever loved?_

 _I still believe that you have much more fight in you left_

 _You feel it in your body that something just isn't right._

 _Something is wrong. Something had to have gone wrong._

 _Something is wrong._

 _Something is wrong._

 _Something is wrong._

 _Wrong._

 _Wrong._

 _Wrong._

And I screamed out again once more with everything that I had in me. And this time when I screamed I felt a new lightness that wasn't there before. A rush a strength and lightness all at the same time. The sensation of being lifted off the ground filled my body and darkness soon covered every inch of my vision.

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 **What did you think about it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know what you think by leaving me a small review. I already completed the second chapter but I just wanted to know what you think about it first.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So here's the second chapter. Enjoy you savages.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters or names affiliated with the name. All rights reserved for J.K. Rowling and all of her magnificence. Any other characters and names are mine.**

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The screaming had stopped an hour ago but they refused to let him in the room. He had only been waiting here for about three hours because she couldn't get in contact with him right away.

Something is wrong.

It wasn't easy getting contact with him nowadays. He had a much more demanding...lord to attend to these days.

Besides, she wouldn't even really want to. Things between them have been strained for a while. And it was also his fault. He couldn't blame her. How could he? He never stood up for her, not when it counted anyway. He didn't even stand up for himself. He's a coward.

He was a coward and now something is wrong.

He spun around at the sound of someone clearing their throat. A mediwizard had the door cracked behind him. But his face didn't ease any of his anxiety. If anything it made it worse. The solemn and pityingly look on the mediwizard's face made an uncomfortable feeling settle in the pit of his stomach.

"You may come in. I'm not sure how long she has, but this may be your only chance to say goodbye. But I must warn you, be quick and be careful." That was all he said before he left him to his own devices.

He was a Black. His family was known for being ruthless and cunning and strong willed. Even his brother—Hell, maybe his brother most of all. But him, right now. He never felt like less of a Black. He stared at the hospital room door slightly ajar before he steeled himself and walked in cautiously.

And nothing could prepare him for the sight that laid before him. The large mass of red curls that he grew to love were dull and lifeless. They were stuck down on a delicate and pale forehead with sweat. Her face, the one he once caressed so many times in her sleep, was deathly pale and withdrawn. Her breaths were coming out in shallow pants and the sound of it made him want to wretch then and there. But he feared he would disturb her peaceful disposition.

And it was peaceful. She was peaceful. He doesn't think he's ever seen anything look so peaceful and...resigned. And that made him angry.

"Why?" He choked out in what was supposed to be a menacing growl, but really came out as a hoarse plea. She didn't turn to face him, but her lips twisted up into a smile at the sound of his voice and he felt the anger rush out of him.

"You wasn't ready."

His eyebrows drew together. "What do you mean I wasn't ready? You didn't think I deserved to know I was going to be a father? You didn't think I could handle that knowledge?"

He heard a faint sigh before she made to turn his direction. He could hear through her pants how exhausted she was from her struggle so he hurried to her side to help her. He hated how light she felt. She had always been small in comparison to him, but she never felt so light. And it scared him. More than he was willing to say.

"No." She said, her voice barely able to form the word. She took in a trembling breath. "You wasn't ready...to be...the man you were...always meant to be. You...wasn't ready...to be there for me...or for her."

She coughed a terrible cough and his face twisted up in agony as she waved him off when he went to help her sit up. She hated feeling like an invalid. She was always so stubborn.

"Her?" His voice stuttered. "You mean it—she...?"

And then that smile of hers that he loved so much made an appearance. It wasn't as bright and wide as it usually was, but it affected him no less. It still had the power to make his heart stutter.

"She lived, Lulu. She almost didn't. Her heart stopped." And her face twisted up and she bit her lip hard. Until she smiled again. "But she lived. Her heart started beating again. Oh, Lulu she's so strong."

He held back a grimace at her nickname for him. He never liked it, it sounded so feminine and average. But he wouldn't voice his distate, not now. He didn't want the last thing she saw to be his face skewed in a grimace. She always did say his smile made him look handsome. Even more handsome than his brother. _Infinitely more_ , she replied when he asked her one night.

Her coughing brought him out of his thoughts and he tried to help her again. But she waved his concern away. He tried not to let his frustration show. He hated seeing her like this. So weak, weak and helpless and so close to d—no! He couldn't think about that just yet. He wouldn't be able to bare it.

"Lulu, I don't have much time left," he was shaking his head before she could finish. He didn't want to hear this. He didn't want to think about her leaving him. "Regulus!"

His head snapped in her direction. Her voice was strong only for that moment before she began hacking again. She was still weak, and weakening by the second. But the control she had over him whenever she spoke his name never waned. Not after all this time.

"Regulus I need you...to listen to me. She is going to need you."

"I don't know how—"

"But you will." She said confidently. She always had such faith him. He never knew where it came from. She always had enough hope and faith for the both of them.

"Lenny—"

"I'm not asking you Lulu, I'm telling you." And he saw it in her eyes. That fierce determination he always seen. The bravery in her large brown eyes glowed brightly. It was a wonder she was never one of those lions like his brother. "I didn't tell you before...because you weren't ready. You...wouldn't have...been able to be there...not for us. But now...now you know what...you have to do. You are ready...to make the right choice. For her."

He saw the light in her eyes dimming quickly. Too fast for his preference. She was wrong. He wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to see her go.

"Lenny I can't do this." He shook his head fiercely but his voice was weak. "Not without you. I don't know how—I can't—Lenny please." He hated to beg. But right now he'd get on his knees and beg loud enough for the world to hear if it would keep her hear with him.

"Look...at her...Lulu." She used what little energy in her to smile his favorite smile. Her hands trembled violently as she pointed at the small bassinet in the corner of the room. That's what she had been looking at when he entered the room but he failed to notice it. He was too busy looking at her.

He didn't want to look away from her. He didn't want to miss a single thing, but he couldn't go against her. Not now. Not ever. Not when she looked at him like that. Like he was the most amazing wizard to ever walk the earth. Because he wasn't. He was a coward. He was disgusting and he never deserved her. Not even close.

So he walked over to the bassinet, looking back at her every now and then not wanting to look away before too long. And when he finally made it there his breath caught. He couldn't look away from the tiny figure in the bassinet swaddled in the pink blanket. Inky black curls littered her pink scalp. Her lips were red stained and almost too large for her small face, forming a pout. Her nose was tiny and her ears were tiny. She was just so small. Small and beautiful and delicate. She looked so fragile. He was afraid he'd breathe on her too hard and she'd break. And when she opened her eyes his heart completely stopped.

"Wow..." He heard himself whisper.

"I know...she looks...just like...you." A raspy voice drew his attention back to the lone figure on the bed. Her eyes drooped more and her hand lay completely limp. But she was still holding on. And she stared longingly at the bassinet.

"She looks like you, Lenny." His throat was tight and the pressure behind his eyes built.

"Let me...see her..."

With careful hands he reached down. He hesitated once as piercing gray eyes shot through him. But he picked up her up and tucked her into his chest, and just held her there. He walked over to the bed and sat down on it carefully as to not disturb her. He moved the blankets out of the small child's face, feeling smooth and soft skin as he did so. It only served to choke him up further.

"She's...beautiful...Lulu."

Regulus Black either didn't notice the teardrops that tracked down his cheeks or he didn't care to remove them. He looked at the woman he had fallen in love with so many years ago and tried desperately to remember every part of her.

"...love...you...Reg...love...Her-Hermione."

Her chest stilled. Regulus adjusted the tiny child in his arms so that with he could reach over with the other and close the love of his life's eyes.

 _Hermione._

She said Hermione. He remembered that name from the silly little talks they would occasionally have when they were younger and they talked about their futures. She wanted her daughter's name to be Hermione. She visited Greece one summer with her family and fell in love with the mythology surrounding the beautiful country. After learning that her own name was a part of the myths, she swore the Regulus that she would include her daughter in it as well. She always knew she would have a little girl.

Almost as if sensing what just happened the once peaceful child began wailing ferociously. Her screams and cries drew the attention of nearby mediwizards and witches who rushed into the room, but Regulus Black was nowhere to be found.

No one noticed a huddled over black figure carrying a crying child down the streets and through twisting alleys. No one paid any attention to them or heard the child's cries. And no one definitely noticed the pain etched so clearly across the man's face.

"Kreacher!" Regulus called out no louder than a whisper. Somewhere between St. Mugos and Grimmauld Place Hermione had cried herself to sleep. Regulus was glad because the sound of her cries did something funny to his insides. But he didn't know how to stop them

He's never been in the presence of babies before. He's seen Lucius' boy once or twice, but that child is spoiled and the sound of his screeches gives I=him headaches. But Hermione's—his daughter—cries cause him to ache.

The sound of the familiar crack that Regulus had grown used to woke Hermione. And he sighed.

"Master?" Kreacher asked hesitantly. Regulus rocked the wailing child in his arm gently but it did nothing.

"Master?"

"What?" Regulus growled.

Kreacher looked down, ashamed to have upset his master and twisted his large ears painfully. Regulus sighed at seeing the house elf that practically raised him hurting himself.

"Knock it off, Kreach." He sighed apologetically.

"Master needs not apologize. Kreacher only wants to know if Master is awares he is holding a child."

Regulus rolled his eyes at Kreacher's own form of sarcasm. "Yes I am. And I want to introduce you to Hermione...Tsarina Black."

"Master...?" Kreacher gasped.

"She is my own Kreacher. You must tell no one of this, do you hear me?" Regulus ordered his house elf, who in return nodded his head frantically.

"Yes master. Kreacher understands."

"Good."

Hermione's cries continued to escalate and Regulus feared that she would never calm. He had no idea what to do with a child. How was he supposed to do this without Helen?

"Master, Kreacher knows how to care for young Mistress."

Regulus looked to Kreacher in exasperation. "You know how to calm her down?"

Kreacher gave him a look. Regulus looked properly abashed.

"Of course, you practically raised me and—" But Regulus quickly cut himself off. He's mentioned his brother a lot more lately in the past 24 hours than he was used to.

"Young Mistress is hungry. And dirty. Oh yes, dirty and hungry. And sleepy." Kreacher mumbled as he took Hermione from Regulus.

He popped in and out of the rooms periodically throughout the day, feeding Hermione and changing her nappies every now and then. But she refused to nap unless she was in Regulus' arms. As if Regulus would even put her down in these times. Regulus caught himself staring at her all the time, especially when she was asleep. He couldn't get over how beautiful she looked. She was the perfect blend between he and Helen. She had his hair color but Helen's curls. She had the Black family trademark silver eyes, but Helen's small nose and full lips. And on occasion when Regulus swore that Hermione would smile, he could just make out the slight indentation of a dimple. Dimples that reminded him of his brother.

Three weeks later and Hermione still refused to sleep throughout the night. She cried a lot. And each and every time Regulus would go running into her makeshift room to check on her but he has yet to distinguish her cries of hunger from the others. Kreacher has been incredibly helpful lately, so helpful in fact that Regulus even considered paying the enthusiastic little elf. Kreacher wasn't usually so peppy, but he loved to attend to Hermione. He knew not even his grumpy house elf could resist his daughter's charms. Regulus refused to think of the future where Hermione's charms would come to bite him in the ass.

Regulus sighed as he stared down at the tiny human being that has taken over his entire existence in less than a day. He so irrevocably tied to this precious little beauty now he knew he'd do whatever it took to protect her. Even if it meant dying in the process. He could no longer be a coward, not now that he has Hermione. Helen would never forgive him.

"Kreacher!"

A crack ripped through the air.

"Yes master?"

"I'm going out. If Severus or Lucius floos tell them...tell them I went out."

"Yes master."

Kreacher looked to his master oddly. His master had been behaving so bizarre the last few months. He loved the young mistress. Yes he did. Young mistress cried and whined as much as the master did when he was her size. But his Master has been staring into space a lot more lately. And he was always so tired. Kreacher wondered if it had anything to do with the necklace Master told him to hide a month ago. But Kreacher did as his Master instructed and watched dutifully as his Master left with his young one bundled in a thin blanket.

"Oi, Prongsie. You're out of juice!"

"Of course we're out of juice you git! You're always drinking it all!"

"Well I wouldn't drink all of it if there were more things in here to drink. All you have in here is baby food and sour milk."

"That's breast milk Sirius."

"It sure as hell don't taste as good as it's name."

"Oi!"

"Would the both of you knock it off. You're acting worse than children." A beautiful redhead scolded the childish men as she cascaded down the stairs child in arm.

"I resent that Evans," Sirius smarted, smirking at the redhead.

"It's Potter, Black." Lily snapped.

James bounded over to his wife and child practically skipping along the way. Sirius made mock barfing sounds as he watched his lovesick friend kiss his wife and child repeatedly.

"James!" Lily scolded her husband, but it didn't come out quite the same as she giggled this time.

"Wotcher, you two! I'm trying to eat here."

"Why don't you go to your own place and do so?" James finally broke away from his wife. Lily went into the kitchen to prepare Harry's breakfast and he watched as his wife's lithe hips swayed as she walked.

"'Cause Moony is still off doin' something for Dumbledore and what not. It's lonely back at our bachelor flat." Sirius pouted.

"Hm. Have you heard from him lately?" James asked Sirius seriously.

"No." Sirius responded curtly. They hadn't heard from their hairy friend in a while and he refused to tell them anything he was doing. Times were already strained right now with a madman on the loose and gaining followers like it's nobody's business and trusting people in this day and age wasn't easy.

But neither Sirius or James would voice their concerns out loud. This was their best friend, Remus. The shy little kid they met on the train on their first day huddled up against the window reading a book. He's come a long way but was still the same Remus. It'd kill them to doubt their friend.

"What about Pete?"

James shrug. "Don't know. Said something 'bout his mom last time we flooed. But he was bit twitchy."

Sirius snorted. "He's always been twitchy." James nodded.

"Yeah but—"

The doorbell rung interrupting what James was about to say. The two men tensed and took out their wands. You could never be too careful today. And the pair of them would protect their family until their last breath.

"Who is it?" James barked.

The person on the other side of the door huffed before clearing his throat. "It's er, Regulus. Regulus Black." He whispered.

Sirius hand tightened around his wand and threw James behind him. He ignored his best mate's shout and opened the door sticking the wand in his brother's face.

He stared harshly at the face so similar to his. The one he grew up looking at as they played games and he told stories to. But that seemed like forever ago. And things have changed between them. Too much.

"Could you lower your wand?" Regulus' voice was blank and so was his face. But inside he was trembling. Sirius didn't seem to notice the small bundle in his arms. Hermione was pretty tiny and at the moment she was asleep. He really hoped his brother wouldn't try anything with Hermione right here. If he hurt her...

"What are you doing here?" Sirius growled. His brother's lack of emotions bothered him greatly. In fact it peeved him off. His brother acted as though it was okay for him to casually waltz up to the Potters house.

"I tried your flat first but when I realized you weren't there I came here."

"How did you know—?"

"The Potter's wards need work." Regulus replied curtly. Hermione was beginning to wake up at the rising voice and his eyes flitted around his surroundings. He hated to be so exposed like this.

"Oi, you little Deatheater. Who do you think—?!" James protested this time from behind Sirius.

"James?" A woman's voice floated from inside.

Regulus had forgotten all about the mud—muggleborn. Severus came crying—or as close to crying as he would get—over to his place a few weeks ago with Lucius about the his muggleborn and Potter having their own brat. Lucius only came along to get away from his wife and child. And to drink himself into oblivion.

James maneuvered over to block Lily from Regulus view. Regulus held back a snort because he knew from the way both of their hands were twitching that they wouldn't hesitate to kill him where he stood. And couldn't risk Hermione like that. So he would have to swallow his pride.

"Look, I'm not here to start any problems or cause any harm to either of your or your family—"

"The hell you're not!"

"—here, against my better judgment," Regulus rolled his gray eyes, "for your sanctuary."

"Why the hell would we help you?" Sirius spat. Regulus would never admit it, not even on his deathbed, but Sirius always had the power to cut him down and strike him where it hurt most. Inwardly he flinched but refused to show how much it pained him to see his own brother look at him with that much hatred.

"It's not for me."

"Then who is it for?" James but in. "Huh? And why would we help them?"

"If you would let me finish—"

"Like you deserve—!"

"James! Sirius! Enough!" Lily shouted over the two of them and pushed her way to the front.

James eyes widened and tried to situate her behind him but Lily stubbornly ignored his efforts and stood her ground.

"If you two would shut up and let him talk I am sure he will explain why he is here and just why he is holding a child."

Regulus doesn't think that there has ever been a time that he's ever felt relief that the annoying chit was around. James' and Sirius' eyes looked down and noticed the child in his arms for the first time. Sirius' eyes looked back and forth between the child and his brother gaping. James blushed under the stare of his wife.

"Come in Black," Lily opened the door for Regulus and pushed her husband and his friend out the way all with a child in one arm who rested peacefully. Regulus walked into the Potter's homes and that seemed to wake James and Sirius up from their stupor. They began to immediately shout their distaste of having a deatheater in their home and woke Hermione.

Regulus rocked Hermione in his arms to quiet her but she continued to wail and scream. His daughter sure had some powerful lungs. James hurried to cover his ears and Sirius looked astonished to see his usually sneering brother frantically rocking a crying child and cooing. Sirius couldn't believe his eyes. Regulus looked at the two men accusingly as Hermione continued to cry.

"Is she okay?" Lily asked softly as she handed her now awoke child to his father. Harry stared innocently at the red faced and squirming child in Regulus' arm. Regulus barely restrained a glare at the little boy who stared at his daughter.

"I don't know. She cries. A lot. I don't-I'm not good at—Kreacher usually knows why she's crying. But she was fed before we left and she napped on the way here."

Lily approached Regulus without a care in the world. Somehow seeing the little boy who sneered and glared at her in the hallways frantically rocking a disgruntled child made him seem a lot less harmful.

"Lily..." James warned. Lily waved her husband off. Harry watched the scene curiously chewing on his fingers with his gums and getting slobber on his father's clothes.

"Oh hush James." She turned back towards Regulus. He did look a lot like his brother, slightly less handsome and shorter hair, and a lot less confident. His eyes were much dimmer than Sirius' though she had a feeling she knew why. But she pointedly ignored those thoughts and focused on the child in his arms. "Did you burp her?"

Regulus looked down at Lily bewildered. "She doesn't do that on her own?"

Lily laughed softly. James had the same look on his face when he watched her beat on Harry's back to burp him. It took her a few minutes to convince him it wasn't child abuse.'t child abuse.

She reached for the child and Regulus. Hermione has only ever been in his arms and Kreacher's, and Kreacher hands her off to Regulus immediately after feeding and changing her nappy. He wasn't sure how he felt handing her off to anyone else. But Lily waited patiently. Regulus took a deep breath and handed her over, but stayed close by making sure she didn't squeeze her to tight or drop her.

"I have a child of my own. I know how to hold one." Lily huffed.

"Yeah, well mine is smaller. And more delicate. And prettier." Regulus said petulantly.

"No she isn't! Harry's the prettiest." James protested. Sirius nodded proudly beside his friend.

"Lily rocked Hermione gently and Hermione quickly quieted in her arms. Regulus stared at the woman in awe. Not even Kreacher could get Hermione to stop crying that fast. And without food in her mouth.

"I don't know James, Harry has some competition." Lily teased her husband who in turn looked to his wife as if betrayed. He marched over to get a look for himself. Regulus stiffened at everyone coming so close to his daughter. He wasn't used to sharing her.

"Whoa," James breathed staring at Hermione. "She's um...she's..."

"Told you," Regulus smirked. His Hermione was the most beautiful baby in the world.

"Shit." Sirius said in agreement gawking at the child. His godson was handsome, but he had his dad's messy hair and drool all over his face. He hated that his brother was right, yet again. The girl was a knockout.

"Language, Sirius." Lily offhandedly scolded not looking away from the child who stared back. Silver eyes meeting green ones.

Now that she wasn't crying her face was no longer red and scrunched up and she stared openly at the strangers. She didn't seem to be the least bit uncomfortable in the stranger's arms but she didn't seem to care for everyone staring at her. Her mouth began to form a pout and Regulus knew it wasn't long before Hermione would began crying again.

"Aw, you don't like everyone staring at you like you're in a zoo, don't you," Lily cooed. Hermione blinked at her as if to say yes. Regulus often wondered just how bright his little girl would be when she grew older.

"Come on let's go see if we can get some gas out of you." And Lily walked over to take Harry and carried the babies into the kitchen, ignoring the men. Regulus looked after them, unsure of what he was doing not for the first time since he was here.

"Alright now get to talking." Sirius ordered.

"I need sanctuary." Regulus repeated.

"You said that already. And, I'm going to go out on the limb here and say it's for that little beauty in there." Sirius nodded in the direction of the kitchen. Regulus nodded.

"Why should we help you?" James reiterated.

Regular blew out a puff of air. He was tired and frustrated and desperate. He had plans he needed to carry out and he didn't want Hermione in the crossfire. And he hated to beg, but in wasn't about him anymore.

"Look. Don't help me. Okay. I get it. You hate me. And trust me, the feeling is mutual. But don't do it for me, do it for her. I don't want her to pay for my mistakes."

"How do we know this isn't just some trick. It wouldn't be the first for you. Why should we believe you now?"

Regulus ran a hand through his short hair, "You think I would really stoop so low as to use a child?!" He shouted.

"I don't know what you'd stoop down to!" Sirius shouted back.

"Okay, we're not getting anywhere yelling," James reasoned.

"Alright. I am...I have plans. Plans that are dangerous and I don't want Hermione anywhere near them when I complete them. I'm most likely never going to see her again." Regulus swallowed the lump in his throat. James and Sirius reluctantly softened at the sight of the tears in his eyes. "Please. Just take her. And protect her. Protect her as if she were your own. Please."

* * *

 **If there's any typos I'll go back and fix them later. I don't have a Beta to proofread for me :( and I always miss a few typos when I look over it myself. Oh well...So what did you think?**

 **What do you think about Regulus? Sirius and James? Did anyone catch Harry staring at little Hermione Black? Hmmm?**


	3. Chapter 3

AH! Hey guys. I'm back. Finally. School's been...uugghhh! College Acceptance season right now so...yeah, that just about sums everything up. The last few months have just been stress upon stress upon stress. Not to mention one of my teachers have convinced himself that he is our personal trainer, so I've just been exhausted. (Have I mentioned that I hate gym? No, well I do!) But it's finally here.

-And to the person who commented that she loved baby Harry and Hermione, so do I! I can't get enough of them. Baby versions of any of the characters (except Dudiekins) makes my heart just burst.

Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to the names and characters associated with Harry Potter. I only take credit for making an awesome fanfiction of it. Rowling said she was cool with it.

* * *

"Papa! Papa, look at me!"

Sirius spun around at his baby girl's call. And there was his angel in black curls and silver eyes covered head to mud as she floated upside down above the large trampoline. His heart would have jumped into his throat had it not been subconsciously prepared having seen his daredevil sweetheart scare the shit out of him plenty of other times before. He's just glad that he dressed her in overalls today.

He snorts. Like she'd let him dress her in anything else.

"Hermione! Get down from there!" Lily shrieked from the kitchen window. Lily fretted from the window manically gesturing for Hermione to stop using her magic that she discovered just a few months ago and Hermione slowly descended to the mat of the trampoline.

"Papa! Did you see me?! I was really high! I bet'cha you can't get that high!" Hermione placed her small hands on her nonexistent hips and smirked at her marauder daddy.

Sirius smirked and bent down to her level knowing how much it peeved Hermione when he shrunk 'down to her level' further emphasizing on her shortness. Sirius' gray eyes sparkled at the tell-tale signs of Hermione's famous temper.

"Oh yeah shrimp? I bet you I can go ten times higher than that."

"No you can't." Hermione's eye widened before she looked at Sirius disbelievingly.

"Yes I can." Sirius mocked her tone.

"Prove it!"

"Fine I will."

"Oh no you won't Sirius Orion Black! You will not be having a magic floating contest with Hermione! It is dinner time. Take her inside and give her a bath." Lily stomped outside and gave the both of them a death stare that had them both cowering knowing the redhead's wrath.

"Yes ma'am." Both saluted smiling cheekily at the frowning redhead.

But not even Lily could resist the urge to smile at the two. They were identical in almost every way and she's never seen Sirius smile as bright as he did when Hermione called him 'papa'. The two had been nearly inseparable since the day that Regulus left Hermione in their care. Almost as inseparable as Hermione and—

"Hermione, baby girl, where's Harry?" Lily asked worriedly looking for her own mischievous child. Wherever Hermione was, and it was usually someplace up to no good, Harry wasn't too far behind all too eager to chase after the curly-haired rascal.

"Playing hide-and-go-seek." She shrugged up at the woman she come to see as a sort of mother.

Lily raised a brow at the little girl. "And who is he playing hide-and-go-seek with?"

It took Hermione a few seconds until she gasped loudly and ran as quick as her tiny legs could go inside the house.

"Hermione! No mud in the house!" Lily continued to grumble after the little girl who shouted for her best friend.

Sirius laughed loudly. It never fails, he thought. If he didn't know the girl was gonna be a genius he's worry for her sometimes.

* * *

"I'm sorry Harry." Hermione begged trailing after the small boy. His face was still flushed from his bath. Or maybe it was because he was still mad that Hermione forgot him in his hiding spot. Again.

"You promised." He stated grumpily with his arms crossed.

"I know," Hermione looked down at her hands ashamedly as she followed after him. "I forgot again."

"It's not nice Mimi. I never forget 'bout you!" He pointed to her accusingly stopping as he reached the kitchen. The adults, well one adult and Sirius, smiled amused at their behavior.

"I know. I'm sorry Harry. I promise I won't do it again." Hermione pouted to her best friend, jutting out her full red lip. Her gray eyes sparkled with unshed tears. He wild curls had been brushed and braided into two braids with pink ribbons on the ends. Lily only managed to sneak them on because Hermione was too distracted with apologizing to her Harry.

"You said that last time," Harry stated matter-of-factly. But his cheeks reddened as he stared at his best friend.

"Please forgive me. I promise no more forgetting." Hermione clutched Harry's hand in her own and pleaded.

Her eyes widened as she stood on her tippy toes and stared into Harry's eyes. Lily smirked at the little girl knowing what she was doing. She had seen Hermione do it a million times to get her way. Sirius, James, and her baby boy hair were irresistible to her famous puppy dog pout. And Lily would never admit it, but she was too.

If she didn't know Hermione she'd really worry for her baby boy's well being. If one little look and a pout could make him forgive her for anything she could just imagine what type of power Hermione would hold in the future. Not to mention how scarily intelligent the small girl was. She just reached Harry's shoulders, and her boy was always a tad smaller than other children, but she was fierce. The first and last time that they visited her sister Petunia and met her horrid son Dudley he pushed Harry down on the ground and made him cry. Hermione immediately threw back her fist and hit Dudley in his porky nose. It didn't bleed or break or anything, but it was enough to make the child almost twice Hermione's size cry like a baby. After wiping Harry's tears she gave Dudley one last kick before telling him to never touch 'her Harry' again. She trusted Hermione to protect her baby boy.

She heard her baby boy sigh and she knew that Hermione won again.

"Okay." Harry sighed seemingly reluctantly. Hermione threw her arms around the little boy and smiled brightly before giving him a kiss on the cheek and prancing to her seat at the dinner table.

Harry promptly blushed bright red and his green eyes tripled in its brightness.

Lord help the kid, Lily rolled her eyes at her son.

"Daddy's home!"

"Daddy!" Harry shouted running to the sound of his father's voice.

"How's my little Prongs doing today?" James smiled proudly at his son who mouth ran a mile a minute explaining his day.

"Me and Mimi had lessons today. And Mimi knew all the answers. She's really smart daddy. And I didn't know some. But then Mimi helped me. And then I knowed some later. And then me and Mimi took a bath and then we played hide-and-seek. I found Hermione three whole times! But she didn't find me again. She forgot me in the closet. Then I was mad at her. Then we took another bath. But she said sorry later and I was okay again. Oh! Look daddy! My tooth came out! Padfoo' says I'mma big boy now!"

The small black haired boy spoke excitedly about his day, brightening in the beginning before drifting off sadly towards the end, and becoming happy once more.

"So...basically the same as yesterday then huh?" James laughed.

"Basically." Padfoot chuckled as he fastened Hermione in her high chair and helped her fill her plate.

"I got it papa, I'm a big girl now, remember." Hermione had been expressing her independence a lot more lately. Which tended to get her into trouble, such as when she tried to make breakfast one morning and the other time when she drew her and Harry their night-night baths. She even convinced Harry to let her give him a haircut instead of his daddy. Lily damn-near fainted when she saw the impromptu mohawk Hermione had given her poor child who smiled deliriously at his best friend.

"Okay Hermione, just be careful." Sirius warned her watching her cautiously.

James and Lily shared a smile at Sirius in 'papa mode', as they called it. Hermione huffed and rolled her platinum eyes but cautiously lifted her child size fork to her mouth. Her mouth and closed around the food and she pointedly looked at Sirius as though to say 'I told you so'.

He snorted once and then made himself a plate, periodically checking on Hermione.

"How was work today?" Lily asked James as she fed Harry. Harry tried to establish his own independence but horridly failed as Lily gave him a look.

James shrugged.

"Eh. You know how it is now. They have nothing else to do with themselves now that You-Know-Who is out of the picture and they're sticking their noses where it doesn't belong." James grunted running a hand through his messy black hair that his son unfortunately inherited. "Instead of doing things that would actually benefit the population they're busying themselves with if witches should have the right to abort children or file for a divorce. These things shouldn't even be up for discussion, you know what I mean? Who gave them the right to decide on something a woman should do with their body?"

Lily reached over with a gentle smile and rubbed his cheek gently. James leaned into her touch, instantly calming. Even if it wasn't such a sweet picture Sirius would have laughed at his best friend's change in demeanor.

"Wow. Lily sure has trained you well," Sirius snorted.

"At least he is trained you mangy mutt," Lily scoffed at him. James seemed to not have heard a word as James rubbed his face into her palm. Sirius often wondered how it was possible that Lily could multitask like that all the time, or if it was just a woman thing. Currently she was feeding lil' Prongs with one hand and petting his friend with the other, while also giving him her best at snappy retorts.

"It's a woman thing." Lily answered not looking away from her son.

Sirius looked to her shock. "I said that out loud?"

Lily hummed.

Sirius scratched the growing beard on his jaw. He then felt tiny soft hands join his on his jaw. He smiled softly and looked at his baby girl.

"Your cheek itchy papa." Hermione's nose scrunched up and Sirius thought it made her face even more adorable.

"Hermione'll be the same way," Lily said softly looking at her with a dreamy expression.

"Hm?" Sirius was distracted with Hermione's tiny fingers exploring the itchiness of his jaw, getting spaghetti sauce all over his face. But he found that he didn't really mind.

"She'll grow up and be able to be the same way as other women. She'll be strong, opinionated, and able to do multiple things at once. You can tell by the way she is already."

"Yeah," James mumbled around his food stuffed in his cheeks. He then winked at Hermione when he noticed her big gray eyes on his. "And she'll be a bossy little chit as well."

Hermione simply smiled at him. It was clear she didn't know exactly what that meant, but it sounded like a compliment to her. Why wouldn't it be, she thought. She's amazing, of course people would compliment her.

Sirius laughed at this and Lily wacked him over the arm.

"'Mimi not bossy, my Mimi pretty!" Harry declared with his little round chin in the air. Sirius narrowed his eyes at the mini Prongs. James snorted at his son. Hermione nodded at Harry's proclamation, agreeing wholeheartedly with his assessment.

Lily magicked away some of the food Harry got on his face and smiled softly at her enamored son. "Yes, 'Mione is very pretty, baby. Nobody is disputing that. Your father was just being silly."

"Daddy very silly."

Lily giggled. "Yes, daddy is very silly."

"Oi!" James cried in fake indignation. He stood up abruptly and scooped Harry out of his chair, throwing him in the air a few times. Lily shouted for James to stop, claiming he was going to make Harry puke up all the few she just helped him to eat.

Sirius couldn't help but smile at the scene. He looked down at his niece who had become his baby girl from the moment his brother walked out the door and never came back. He couldn't imagine how his brother was able to walk away from the little tike. If Sirius was being honest with himself he would admit that he knew his brother took it hard when he left his daughter behind. He had never seen his brother ever express so much emotion in his life. Not even when they were children.

Sirius frowned as he began to remember him and Reg growing up and playing together. They used to have so much fun and he remembered Reg following him around everywhere. Always looking so awestruck with the things his big brother was able to do. But it didn't last as long as he had hoped. Once Sirius became of age, his mother took him away from his brother and started him with his training to take over the Black family line and to becoming an upstanding member of pureblood society. He saw his little brother less and less as his father showed him the workings of the family business and becoming the Black family heir. He hated leaving his little brother along with his mother, despite her being a pretty absentee mother anyway, as was the pureblood mother mantra.

And once he started school it was pretty obvious to Walburga and Orion Sirius' views his standing in pureblood society. Orion continued to show his son the ins and outs but Walburga's tantrums and screams are pretty hard to ignore and not much work was even done. By the summer before his sixth year he was disowned from the family and hexed off the family tapestry. But his brother's grooming to become the heir to the Black line had started a couple years previous, if he knew his mother. And he did. As twisted and demented as she became over the years, he knew that she could see that she had lost her son long before she fully kicked him out of the house, and she immediately began preparation to replace him.

Tugging on his sleeve brought his attention back to the present and back to his daughter's beautiful visage. Despite all the wrongdoings his brother has done and all the anger he still felt towards his younger brother, he sure did make a beautiful little girl. She wasn't a perfect little angel who never did anything bad either. She sure had her moments. She could get into just about anything with that mischievous little body of hers. And she had a wicked temper that showcased when she felt that she was being disregarded, but she was his baby girl. And as much as he knew that it was hard to watch Regulus breakdown for leaving his little girl behind, he hoped deep down, guiltily, that his brother wouldn't return and take Hermione away from him. The little witch had stolen his heart so completely and irrevocably that the thought of her being torn away from him made him feel numb.

"Papa," Hermione whimpered, reaching out towards the sippy cup just out of her reach.

"Did you finish your veggies," Sirius pointedly looked towards the small portion of broccoli on her plate. Hermione pouted, making her bottom lip poke out.

"But Papa, I'm full," she rubbed her tummy for emphasis. Sirius gave her his 'Big Papa' look and Hermione immediately stopped her whining and frowned down at her plate. She crossed her arms and sat back in her seat.

"Look 'Mione," Harry called from across the table. He showed her his mouth full of broccoli. But Hermione wasn't convinced.

"Once those veggies are off your plate, you can have your juice." Sirius told her, not relenting. Although that pout of hers was pretty damn hard to resist. He just kept looking down at his plate to avoid her big round eyes pleading him.

"And I'll give you a big 'ole slice of strawberry cheesecake, your favorite Hermione." Lily persuaded her.

But Hermione only hmphed and glared down at her plate, wishing for the damn vegetables to just disappear from sight, Everybody's head jerked in her direction at the sound of a small pop! and Hermione's giggles. She clapped her little chubby hands at the now empty plate and looked back at Sirius as if to say 'Now it's time for your end of the bargain'.

But Sirius, along with Lily and James couldn't help but to stare at Hermione astonished. They already knew that she had been displaying bits of magic early on. Harry had his small burst when he was having a tantrum. But they didn't know Hermione could control, at least not this much. Though she did look genuinely surprised at the sudden disappearance of her food. Sirius handed Hermione over her juice in a daze.

"Well..." He looked to the other adults in the room unsure of what to say to them. "...that's my girl?"

* * *

"Neither of you need a new broom." Lily scolded the two grown children who bounced on the way to the Broomstix."

"Lily," James sighed as though explaining it to a child. "It's the new Cirrus 1.0. It comes with dragon hide grips and seating pads, and all of the other dads at Magic Tots have one."

Lily rolled her eyes at them. Magic Tots is a daycare one of the half-blood moms set up a couple years ago. There aren't many children that go there seeing as a daycare is still relatively muggle, and most of the children were either half bloods or muggleborns, but Lily remembered one of the instructors in charge and she was in Ravenclaw. Not to mention she casted a surveillance spell on Hermione and Harry. You can never be too careful.

"I highly doubt all of the dads have one," she mumbled, but the boys didn't pay her any mind.

"Lilypie, how 'bout you take 'Mione with you to Flourish & Blotts and we can take Harry with us to Broomstix," James suggested already grabbing Harry's hand.

"Don't you think about buying him a broom James Potter! I mean it!" She shouted after him, people in Diagon Alley shaking their heads at the couple.

"LOVE YOU TOO LILYCAKE!"

She shook her head at her husband but couldn't hold back a smile at his antics. It was one of the things that she secretly loved about her childish husband. He had grown so much since the first day that she had met him. And although she had first despised the boy for his immature pranks and inconsiderate attitude towards others, he had matured as the years went on and she realized how much she loved that side of him. The side that was unafraid to be himself and shout to the heavens his love for her. As embarrassing as it was in the beginning, she couldn't deny how much it flattered her and made her feel like the most beautiful women in the world.

Lily had always struggled with her insecurities. She never felt as stunning beautiful as her sister Petunia, or gorgeous as Marlene, or even girl next door pretty as Alice. Her skin was pasty and her hair was unnaturally red. She did like her eyes, but they were an odd shade of green, jolly rancher green. She had freckles that ran across the bridge of her nose. She wasn't very tall, and she was pretty slim with small hips and breasts. But James didn't mind any of these attributes. If anything, James loved these things most about her. Nobody had ever made Lily feel the way that James did.

"Aunt Lily?" Hermione's sweet voice brought her out of her reverie.

"Yes sweetie?"

"Can I have a wand?"

"Not yet darling. You have to wait until it is time for you to go to Hogwarts."

She pouted and put her hand on her hip. "Well, then I want to go to Hogwarts."

Lily laughed. "That may be, love, but you have to wait until you receive your letter."

She huffed. "Well when do I get my letter?"

"When you're eleven." Lily replied patiently.

Hermione sighed as though she felt the world weigh down upon her tiny shoulders, but she nodded her head in acceptance. But she quickly perked up as she read the sign of her favorite store. She let go of Lily's hand and ran inside the store.

"Hermione!"

Hermione sped through store in a practiced manner, as though she knew every aisle, nook, and cranny. The smell of old and dusty books wafted through her nose and she was so caught up in running to her favorite reading spot that she wasn't paying attention to the person exiting an aisle.

"Oof!" She collided with a large mass wrapped in a black. She fell back hard on her bum but managed to catch herself with her hands before her head collided with the floor.

"I wasn't aware they let small children roam alone in this establishment." A deep voice above her drawled.

Hermione's eyes dragged up the large man who had spoken, gaping she took note of his appearance. He was very tall. Taller than her papa and uncle Jamie. His hair was the same color as her eyes, but not as full and bouncy. It looked pretty thin, actually, and how her hair would look if she didn't take a bath for a whole week. His lips were thin and bunched up kinda funny, like he smelled her papa when he didn't take bath. But it was his eyes that really made her shiver. They were so dark. They held none of the mischief that her papa had, or the warmth of her Harry's.

He seemed to grow impatient with her silent gaping and he sighed exasperatedly. He reached down and grabbed her by her arms to bring her to her feet. But once on her feet she remained in the same pose, mouth open and eyes widened. He rolled her eyes and bent down to the small child's level.

"Do you not know how to converse? Have you yet to reach that level of maturity to hold a conversation?" He asked condescendingly.

That seemed to snap the child out of her stupor. She didn't just what every one of those words meant, but she caught the gist of it. She closed her mouth and narrowed her eyes at the man and balled up her fist.

"I can too hold a conversation! I speak with my papa all the time. And I always be tellin' my Harry what to do." She stuck her chin up and tried to look down her nose at him. Which proved to be a challenge with him being so much taller than her.

He quirked an eyebrow at the sprout. "What's your name?"

"My Papa told me not to talk to strangers."

"I think it's a bit too late to do that. Now just tell me your name so that I can find your parents."

"Hermione! Hermione, where are you!" Hermione's head whipped around to the sound of Lily's panicked calls. Her face quickly scrunched up. The man instantly knew this was the small child's name the way she flinched at the name.

"Over here aunt Lily!"

The man immediately stiffened at the name, knowing only one person with that name. And if he had any doubts the vibrant red hair that quickly turned the corner left no more. She had yet to notice the man, instead fretting over the little girl who was doing her best to appear sorry.

"Hermione you know better than to let go of my hand like that and go running off. Just wait until I tell your papa." She scolded the little girl while looked her over for any injuries.

"No, please don't tell Papa. I promise I won't do it again. I learn't my lesson. I promise." She stuck out her bottom lip similarly to the way she had done earlier when she begged Harry to let her pour his milk in his cereal.

But Lily did not relent. "No, Hermione. Don't you think about it. You need to learn that running away from me like that in public is very dangerous. You wouldn't want someone to snatch you up and take you away from us forever, do you?"

Hermione's eyes widened in horror shook her head quickly, throwing her inky curls all over the place.

"Good girl." Lily wiped the dust off her dress where she bent down and stood up, finally taking notice of the man near Hermione. "Severus." She gasped.

"Lily." Severus replied tightly, eyes blank and face emotionless.

"W-What are you-" she shook her head, "How have you been?"

Something crossed his face for a second but was gone before Lily could recognize it. "As well as could be expected." He replied shortly.

And Lily flinched at the implication. It seemed like only yesterday her world as she knew it almost came to an end. Harry and Hermione were barely a year old when Voldemort showed up on their doorstep, with Peter Pettigrew standing dutifully and sniffering behind him.

There was so much yelling and screaming that Lily could hardly make sense of what was going on at the time. James and Sirius were front and center to defend her and the children from the lunatic and their ex-pal Pettigrew. But it was Remus. Sweet, innocent, and tortured Remus that saved them all that night. He had been MIA for months and he showed up that night just after Voldemort blew down there door, taking them all by surprise, and killing the mad man. Sirius, without a second thought, cast the killing curse at a whimpering Peter who was trying to grovel for his life.

Remus was quickly dubbed a hero amongst their friends and family, but most of the Wizarding World, still very behind and backwards, refused to acknowledge the fact that a half-blood, a werewolf, was able to do something not even the most powerful and pureblood was able to accomplish. But Remus' slaying of the 'Dark Lord' was not the only shocker that followed that fateful Halloween night of '81. Dumbledore testified for two of the most well-known deatheaters, Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. Apparently they had defected not long after the death of their closest friend, Regulus Black, and turned spy for the Order. While the elite part of society quickly accepted and even rejoiced in the news, the Order and those alike had difficulty accepting it.

Sirius Black, most of all. He had a lot of difficulty reconciling the fact that not only did he recently murder one of his long-time friends, he had been doubting his loyal friend Remus for months, and the man who gave him this precious little angel was now gone. Reg may have been a deatheater and coward, and he may have even found himself truly and deeply hating his brother on a few occasions, Reg was still his brother. And it was hard to think of his brother well and gone. It still has yet to ring true within Sirius, a small portion of him still waiting for his baby brother to come swaggering through his front door to take his rightful daughter away.

"I apologize," Lily whispered. Severus nodded but said no more. Settling with staring at his long time crush and once very good friend. Hermione could sense the tension in the air and squirmed. I wasn't aware that Black had reproduced. Hermione stood still at once at the recognition of her name.

"You know my Papa?" Her eyes brightened.

"Hermione..."

"Lily! Where are you?" Lily heard James shouting for her.

"I think that is my cue to—" Severus began but was interrupted.

"Sev?"

A caramel skinned woman, heavily pregnant, and looking between two books she held up broke through the crowd just as Lily's husband and his best friend and child in tow.

"Lily we've been looking all over for..." James' voice trailed off at the notice of another person.

Severus' face tightened and his lips formed a sneer. His face instantly relaxed at the touch of the small and dark haired woman beside him. She glanced at the new people at back at him with a worried expression. He shook his head minutely and gave a small smile. She nodded her head at looked back towards the newcomers. Lily couldn't help but to take note of the exchange with surprise.

"Snape."

"Potter."

"Snivelus." Sirius spat eyes darkened.

"Sirius!" Lily scolded.

"Black." Snape replied just as coldly.

"Mimi! Look what I got!" Harry ran over to Hermione and showed off his little broom.

"James Potter!"

James winced and looked at his wife, "Lilybear, I promise it only hover two feet off the ground."

"Two feet too many."

"As interesting as this all is—" Snape drawled and made to leave.

"Are these friends of yours Sev?" The small caramel woman beside him asked.

Everyone looked at her but she only had eyes for Severus. Severus looked at the woman who had become his life in such a short time and felt himself relax. Lily took in the scene teary eyed, happy that her childhood friend had finally found his One. She couldn't help that slither of sadness that washed over her at the loss of friendship, having forgiven him a long time ago.

"We used to be," Lily replied giving the woman a soft smile. "Well, it was nice seeing you again. I apologize for Hermione running into you. She can get a bit enthusiastic when we go to the bookstore." Lily laughed smiling softly at the now blushing little girl.

Said little girl shrugged her dainty shoulders and looked the tall man in the eye. "I like books. Papa said that makes me a nerd. But I don't auntie Lily said that Papa is an ass." She said matter of factly.

"Hermione!"

James and Sirius chuckled at Hermione. The woman with Severus stared astonished at the little girl's vocabulary, she looked so small, she couldn't be much older than three. And yet here she was speaking in full sentences.

Hermione turned and grabbed Harry's sticky fingers. "C'mon Harry, let's go find me some more books."

The group watched as the small boy followed after the little girl without a care in the world. People smiled at the small pair as they made their way down the many aisles. That little girl was going to be a terror when she gets older, Sirius thought. And he couldn't help but smile at that.

* * *

There we go! Finally. It's up now stop pestering me. I really need to update my other stories soon. So you guys are going to have to not jump down my throat for the late updating. I do have a bit of a life. Not to mention it is my senior year of high school. But the enthusiasm is infectious. So leave me a review any time.

I'm sure there will be many questions regarding Hermione's memories, Voldemort, and the likes, however you guys will just have to wait for that. I am not exactly sure how I want to proceed with this, I'm kind of just writing as I go. But I don't want this story to be like others. This will be an original so be warned whatever I do have planned will knock you mismatched little socks off. ;)


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys. Love the response and feedback I got from posting the last chapter. I was in a zone that day! Updating 3 stories in one day! Patting myself on the back right now. ^.^ Just have a few things to say before continuing.

Guest: Lily was not apologizing to Severus because of what happened back in Hogwarts (AKA him calling her a mudblood)-oh no honey! I would definitely not make her apologize about that. She was apologizing for bringing up bad memories. She had asked him how he's been because she was in an uncomfortable position, but hadn't realized how it sounded. I'll go into more detail in later chapters, but suffice to say, life has not been all that kind to our beloved Sevvie-kins.

Man of Constant Sorrow: (Nice name by the way) Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. But let me just say, I am completely and unequivocally fascinated by your ability to determine how "convoluted and original" my story was after barely reading half of the first chapter (which is really more of a prologue—but I digress...). I can assure you Mr. Sorrow that I will continue writing, thanks for your wishes.

….Just had to get that out... Now everyone else, have a good read!

(Insert Disclaimer here—You guys know the drill)

* * *

"A daughter, Severus?" The blonde man shook his head vigorously in denial. His long flaxen locks following his movement.

"I saw her Lucy."

The blonde man narrowed his eyes at the nickname his best friend deemed him with.

"I would have known if my cousin had a child. He would have told me before..."

Severus looked down as well. Nearly four years and the memories of his late friend had not made it any easier to let go of him.

"Perhaps. And had I not seen the child first hand, I would believe her to be a product of one of Black's many one-night dalliances. However," Severus paused until Lucius looked in the eye, "She looks just like that woman."

Lucius froze. "The Nikolaevna girl? I thought he said that she didn't want anything to do with him after he joined."

"What better way to say goodbye than to leave a lasting memory?" Severus snarked.

Lucius snorted. He paused. "If what you are saying is true, then Regulus did a lot more planning than we originally thought. You understand what this means don't you?"

"That if Regulus had enough time to plan safer means for his daughter, he may have been able to plan a safer escape route during his suicidal coup against the Dark Lord?"

Lucius scoffed.

"No! Cissy is going to kill me when she realizes that her favorite younger cousin made Sirius Godfather and not me." Lucius moaned.

"I highly doubt that Narcissa is going to care very much to whom Regulus gave Godparental rights to." Severus rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean 'whom Regulus gave Godparentals right to'?" A voice from behind Severus called.

A tall waif woman with shoulder length blonde hair hanging loosely stood in the doorway. A child on her hip with perfectly coiffed pale blonde hair and even paler complexion stared curiously between his mother and the two men. His eyes were grey and tear stained, his chubby fists still rubbing one eye. The woman had a struck look on her face, heartbroken.

"Narcissa," Lucius stood quickly, making his way towards his wife in comfort.

"Regulus is...he had a..." She could barely complete her sentence.

As if sensing the turmoil his mother was in, the child began to cry once more. Severus stood and took his godson out of the room, leaving the couple to each other. Lucius guided Narcissa into his lap.

"Cissa, Severus believes that he saw Regulus' daughter in town yesterday with Black and the Potters."

"Why would he assume it's Regulus'? I-I mean, surely, Sirius could have spawned a numerous of illegitimate children a-and—"

"Narcissa," Lucius caught off her stammering. "Nothing is for certain. I have yet to see the child myself."

Narcissa stood up, suddenly angered. "You think that Severus would lie about something like this. Regulus and Severus were very close. He took Reggie's death the hardest. I trust Severus."

Lucius stood up with her, rubbing his hands up and down her arms in an attempt to soothe his irate wife.

"Narcissa, I understand that. And I trust Severus with my son's life. But I also believe that because he took the loss the hardest, his story is that much harder to believe. All, I am saying is that I wish to see the child myself, before we do anything crazy."

* * *

"Lily can you get the door? Harry and I had a bit of an incident!" James called from the kitchen. Lily giggled to herself and shook her head.

Her husband and Harry were always having little incidents. She suspected it had a lot more to do with her husband than it had to do with Harry. She could hear Harry's laughter chiming in from the Kitchen.

Lily opened the door.

"Hello."

Lily's eyes widened at the sight of the ever classy Narcissa looking just the slightest bit frazzled. A couple strands of her pin straight blonde hair were untucked from her ear. Her son sat on her hip in a white shirt and khaki shorts, nearly gnawing on his fist trying to devour the red lollipop in his hand.

"Lady Malfoy, is there something I can help you with?" She asked hesitantly.

Narcissa cleared her throat, "As a matter of fact, there is. Is my cousin here?" She leaned forward a bit trying to peek into the modest home.

Lily stiffened and blocked her view. "Who wants to know?"

Narcissa scoffed. "Please. If I wanted to harm him do you think I would bring my son with me?"

Lily relaxed slightly. "I don't see how it is any of your business where Sirius is."

Narcissa softened her stance. "I just...Severus came by yesterday. He told my husband that Regulus had a daughter and she now resides in the custody of my cousin. I just want to know if this is true."

"Why? What right do you have to know that kind of information."

"She's my niece. I have more right to see her than you, you little—"

"Finish that sentence Narcissa and you will never see my daughter."

Narcissa spun around carefully at the familiar voice. The only reason Sirius did not have his wand pointed at her back was because of the little boy on her hip looking on the scene interested.

Narcissa took in the sight in front of her with mixed emotions. Her cousin stood in front of her tense, hand witching towards the wand in his holster. Behind him stood his werewolf friend with a beautiful little girl on his shoulders. The little girl looked between her and her cousin with curiously. Her hair was just past her shoulders in dark, inky spirals. Her complexion a caramel and olive blend and her eyes a silvery smoky, silver gray. She bit down on her bottom lip, the lip being the same color as the roses blooming in her garden.

Narcissa felt her heart stutter as she stared at the little girl who looked so much like her cousin, which one she wasn't sure. But one thing was for certain, she definitely looked like the woman Regulus used to whine over in school.

"It's true. She's—"

"My daughter. Yes, Narcissa." Sirius cut in giving his cousin a look.

"Why don't we continue this inside?" Remus suggested, bouncing the little girl on his shoulders, causing her to giggle and clutch at his neck.

Lily opened the door, ushering everyone inside. Narcissa stood stiffly in the living room near the sofa, unsure of whether to sit or not. Draco began to wriggle in her arms and whine. Narcissa put him down but held his clean hand.

"You can sit down on the sofa, Narcissa." Lily motioned towards the furniture unsurely.

"She probably doesn't want to get any muggle germs on her thousand galleon dress," Sirius snarked.

"It is improper for a guest to welcome herself upon another's furniture without the proper invitation," Narcissa recited

"There's those pureblood etiquette rules that we adore so much!" Sirius exclaimed wildly gesturing towards Narcissa. Lily ignored him.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Lily asked.

"No thank you." Narcissa didn't take her eyes off Hermione.

"Papa, who the pretty lady? And look Papa! She has a baby!" Hermione shouted, staring at Draco with large eyes. Draco took notice of the loud girl and continued to suck on his lolly.

Sirius' demeanor softened. "How was your puppy-baby day, shrimp?"

Hermione's eyes lit up, completely forgetting her questions from earlier, and she immediately began to tell Sirius all about what she and Remus did. "We went to zoo. And I saw all the pretty animals. I saw big animals and small animals. I saw baby animals. They were always sleeping. But they were so cute! Puppy said if I be a good girl he would get me a baby monkey."

Sirius looked at Remus with an eyebrow raised. Remus blushed a bit. He gripped the little girl and brought her down to the ground.

"I may have said that, but in all fairness she did do 'the look'. So, it wasn't my fault."

"It's never any of you guys' faults when she does 'the look'," Lily used air quotes and smirked at Sirius and Remus.

Sirius shrugged. "My kid's cute. Sue her."

"Yeah, sue me."

"Lily-pot, who was at the door and who is getting sued?" James asked walking into the room with Harry thrown over his shoulder.

"Me!" Hermione raised her hand and stood on her tippy toes so that James could see her.

"What is puppy-baby day?" Narcissa asked finally breaking out of her shock.

Everyone in the room looked at her, some forgetting that she was still there and one who didn't notice her to begin with. Before anyone could answer Hermione walked up to her and climbed in her lap.

"Uncle Remus is my puppy. He's mine like my Papa is Harry's."

Godfather, Lily mouthed behind the little girl when Narcissa looked up confused. Clarification washed over the woman's face.

"Me and Puppy go to the zoo and get ice cream and buy me books. I like books. I can read. Do you like to read? Can your baby read? He's pretty. His hair is shiny too, like yours. What's your name?"

Narcissa looked overwhelmed at the talkative girl, slightly taken aback at her vocabulary.

"I'm Narcissa. Yes I like to read and no, Draco can't read just yet. But he will. What is your name?"

"I'm Hermione. Your name is really long. My daddy says my name is long too and that is why he always call me shrimp, or cutie, or love, or monster when I do something bad."

Sirius, James, and Remus chuckled at Hermione's long windedness. Lily only shook her head at the them.

"Come on Hermione, why don't you go show Harry your new toys?" Lily took Harry from James' shoulder.

"Can Draco come too? Please?" She turned to Narcissa poking out her bottom lip just enough to make it quibble. She looked at Narcissa through her thick eyelashes.

"Um, sure."

Draco looked at his mother in confusion and almost betrayal. He took the lollipop out his mouth and began to pout and whine clutching at his mother's hem of her dress.

"It's Okay, Draco. I promise me and Harry are nice. Right Harry?"

The little boy shook his head up and down furiously in agreement.

"I have a lot of toys . You can play with them if u promise not to cry." Hermione gently goaded the little tyke. "'Sides, my Papa told me that crying is for little babies."

Draco sniffled and rubbed his eyes. "Not a little baby."

"Okay," Hermione announced cheerfully and grabbed Draco's other hand, dragging him behind her.

The room was tense for a minute before Remus sighed.

"Someone has to say something or we'll just be sitting here all day."

"Fine," Sirius stood up. "Why are you here? Why do you care about Hermione?"

"She's my cousin. Unlike you, Regulus has always been family to me." Narcissa stood as well, glaring Sirius down.

"Regulus has always been family to me! I may not have liked him for a while, but I always loved him. He is—was my younger brother."

"When Reggie—" Narcissa swallowed back the pit in her throat, "When I was told about Regulus it was hard for me to come to terms with my youngest cousin. We had grown a lot closer over the last couple of years, he was practically my little brother. I just wanted to see if she was really his daughter. I thought that maybe if she was, I could still have a bit of him with me. Is that so wrong?"

"Yes!" Sirius laughed incredulously. "That is wrong. You have no right whatsoever to my daughter, and damn sure not some pseudo-aunt claim!"

"Sirius," Remus muttered.

"No, he's right Moony. She just came barging out of nowhere—" James was interrupted by a knocking at the door. James stormed over to it.

"How did I know it would be you two?"

"Perhaps because my wife is being held hostage by you three imbeciles." Lucius drawled as he welcomed himself inside, sweeping past James.

"And your excuse, Sniv—"

"James Potter!" A shout from the other room called.

"Snape?"

Severus smirked at his correction. "I'm here because I know how the three of you operate. You don't exactly play very fair."

"Oh please, we wouldn't have touched her." James sneered.

"No promises here, mate," Sirius continued to glare at his distant cousin, who returned a more menacing one. But Sirius refused to back down.

"Okay, everyone needs to settle down or we really will be here all day. I suspect Hermione, Harry, and little Draco will get up to some mischief soon enough so I suggest we handle this sooner rather than later," Lily rationalized.

"What makes you think that my son would get up to any mischief? He is always on his best behavior." Lucius scoffed.

"If he's near my daughter and godson, he's up to no good," Sirius dryly added.

"Then she truly is his daughter, Sirius?" Narcissa whispered. Sirius was about to snap at her for referring to Hermione as anyone's but his, but knew he couldn't when Narcissa looked as weak as she did. Her big, pale blue eyes glittered with tears.

Sirius sighed. "Yes."

"Why would he bring her here? You hated him at the time, why would he trust you with her."

"You'll never understand the bond between brothers. Regulus may not have trusted me with his life, but he did with Hermione. He knew that I would take her in as my own and protect her with my life." Sirius sat down, feeling all too weathered all of a sudden by the conversation. He was transported back to that fateful day his brother dropped a small baby off in his care.

"He looked haggard and in a hurry. He was obviously desperate and he wanted someone who he knew could protect her."

"We would have protected her," Lucius protested.

"How?" This came from Narcissa. She turned to look at her husband who had the slight look of betrayal on his face, so similar to their son's. "Before or after you agreed to be a spy for Dumbledore?"

"I'm pretty sure that Reggie's purpose of sending her here was to keep her as far out of his reach as possible." Severus put a hand on Lucius' shoulder.

"It was. And he hinted at the fact that he was going to be...unavailable to care for Hermione after that night. He was planning something, I knew it, and I knew with every bone in my body that it was going to be the last time I ever saw him." Sirius laughed bitterly. A fear tears had escaped his eyes and he roughly brushed them away. "I knew I would never see him again after that night and I never apologized for the things I said to him when we were younger. I never told him that I forgave him for joining that bastard. I didn't hug him or—or—nothing! I just let him walk out of here. I LET HIM SACRIFICE HIS LIFE TO TAKE DOWN THAT FUCKING BASTARD!"

Remus and James both put a hand on their friend's shoulder. Narcissa and Lily wiped their eyes. Severus looked away, uncomfortable by Black's sudden vulnerability on show for everyone to see. He never thought that the moment he finally saw Black breakdown that he would look away and not relish in it. Perhaps because his rejoicing in Black's sadness would also be him rejoicing in the death of Regulus. Lucius rubbed his wife's back soothingly.

"I'm sure Regulus forgave you when he came to you that night. His giving of Hermione to you was his own way of apologizing for not being the brother that you deserved. Regulus would never have told you, but he mourned the relationship the two of you lost. He hated himself a long while, regretting the years you two lost to be close. He looked up to you Sirius." Narcissa confessed.

The room was quiet, but there was no longer a heavy coating of tension in the room. It was as if a blanket had been lifted and everyone could finally breathe a little easier. The only sounds that could be heard were the faint glimmers of laughter and giggling of children of children upstairs.

"Severus, Lucius, would you like anything to drink?" Lily offered after a moment.

Lucius waved a hand, but Severus nodded, hesitantly. Lily made to leave but she hesitated in the doorway, "You are all welcome to stay for dinner. It is already in the oven and there is always plenty to eat."

"Um—" Severus began.

"We actually have—" Lucius started.

"We would love to." Narcissa replied for them all. Lucius and Severus looked at her but she steadfastedly ignored their stares. Lily hid a smirk as she turned to get a glass of water for Severus.

Remus cleared his throat. "I'm going to go say goodbye to my goddaughter before I head out." Remus left the other occupants of the room in their awkward silence.

Sirius elbowed James. James coughed and awkwardly gestured towards Severus. Severus tensed in preparation for anything smart James may have to say to him.

"I never—uh. Congratulations, I guess. Um, your wife, in the bookstore, she was—uh." James made a protruding belly shape with his hands.

"Pregnant?" Severus raised an eyebrow at the stuttering buffoon of a man. James nodded.

"Smooth," Sirius coughed into his hand. James pinched his arm.

"Not that it is any of your business, but she is not my wife. We are friends." Lucius coughed. Severus turned his glare on him. "We are. We are only friends and the child is not mine."

"Oh please, Severus. Nani is as taken with you as you are her. And you are that child's father, whether you birthed it or not. You knows as well as I do genetics has little to do with fatherhood, it is all about intention." Narcissa smiled at him.

Severus cleared his throat. "I rather not talk about this right now," surreptitiously looking at James and Sirius.

"They're practically family now, Sev. You might as well get used to it."

"We will never be family."

"Reg would have made you godfather, Sev. You know this." Narcissa prodded.

"But he didn't. He gave his child to his brother. Not to me or you or Lucius. I think that speaks volumes." He said abruptly. "Where is your restroom?" He asked James.

"Down the hall, two doors down and on your left." James answered.

"DON'T LEAVE PUPPY!"

"And there's my loudmouth child," Sirius smiled.

Remus trudged down the stairs with Hermione on his back and Harry and Draco on either leg. Hermione was clutching Remus for dear life and both boys giggled as they were periodically lifted up and down by the wolf's legs. Remus seemed out of breath and more ruffled than when he went upstairs a few minutes ago, something not unusual whenever he was with his goddaughter.

"Hermione, you know I have to get back to Mary. She's going to miss me too much if I don't go home."

"But we didn't finish our Puppy-baby day! You didn't read me a story or play tea-party wif me or watch the dinosaur movies with me." Hermione whined.

"Hermione, what did I tell you about whining?"

"Only crackers like wine." Hermione pouted.

Harry giggled. "Hermione is a cheese cracker."

"No, she a peanut butter cwacker." Draco giggled.

Both of the little boys giggled some more, drowning out Hermione's protests. Remus tried pulling Hermione off his back but she avoided his searching hands but climbing up his back and clutching his jacket.

"Papa, tell Puppy he gots to stay wif me. Please."

Sirius got off the couch and pulled Hermione off of Remus. "You know he has to go. You'll see him tomorrow morning when he takes you and Harry to daycare."

Remus bent down and picked both little boys off his legs and deposited their giggling bodies onto the couch.

"Daycare?" Narcissa asked.

"It's a muggle establishment that young children go to so that they can learn rudimentary skills before they are old enough for schooling." Lily answered bringing in a glass of water.

"Muggle?" Lucius croaked.

Lily narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes, muggle. I went to one, as well as my sister. And now, so does Harry and Hermione. It is an excellent day care, and besides, Sirius is too clingy to leave Hermione's side for too long. So he...stays around for a while."

Sirius shrugged unashamed.

Narcissa hmmed.

Lucius glanced at his wife with a frown on his face, setting deeper as the seconds passed.

Narcissa opened her mouth, but before she could say anything Lucius cut her off. "No."

"But—"

"Absolutely not."

"It could possibly—"

"It won't."

"We will discuss this later." Narcissa looked Lucius in the eye, not the least bit off-put by Lucius' adamancy.

James snorted. "I know what that means."

Lily smirked at her husband. "That's because you have yet to learn that I always get what I want."

"You promise?" A small voice asked. The adults looked over to see Lupin bent down in front of Hermione, holding her two hands in his. He smiled softly at her and held out his pinky.

"Of course I do. Puppy never breaks his promise remember?" Remus whispered. Hermione nodded and linked her pinky with his. "Now give me a hug and I'll see you tomorrow morning, okay?"

Hermione did so and this time let go of him without complaint. She reached for Sirius' hand and she watched Remus leave. Once he left, Hermione turned and stretched her arms upward signaling for Sirius to pick her up and she burrowed her head into the crook of his neck.

"Why is she so clingy with him?" Narcissa wondered aloud.

"When Hermione was a baby, sometimes she would only sleep if Remus held her. We don't really know why, I mean we have theories, but nothing substantial. But we've asked her about it, and she says he smells like chocolate." Sirius shrugged.

Severus walked back into the room, accepting the glass of water from Lily. "Regulus always did like those Chocolate frogs."

* * *

Narcissa sat at the vanity inside her large bathroom, preparing for bed and brushing her golden stands periodically. She looked to the left and smiled as Draco gave Tootsie a hard time during his bath.

"Draco," she called gently, and Draco halted in his splashing. "You're getting the floor all wet. You know mommy doesn't like that."

"I do what Mimi do." And he splashed some more.

"Mimi? Who is Mimi, sweetie?"

"Mimi, mommy. Cousin Mimi." She assumed he was referring to Hermione and she laughed.

"And how do you know that she likes to splash in the bath tub?"

"No bath mommy. Mimi make big splash." Draco smacked his hands in the water causing Tootsie to stutter out a scolding.

"Bath time is over for young Master. Young master makes mess all time. Tootsie always wet when done." Narcissa ignored the house elf's mutterings. She knew that Draco drove the elf mad sometimes, but she adored Draco.

Narcissa couldn't quite recall seeing a pool in the backyard. Perhaps they were getting up to mischief in the bathroom sink. Draco loved water. Lupin most likely dried them off with a charm before dragging them downstairs.

Of course that is what happened. It makes the most sense.

Finally. The next chapter is finished. I know you guys have waited a bit long for the chapter to be posted, and I apologize a bit. I just had to make sure that it was good and I read over it a few times so there shouldn't be any grammar issues this chapter. (fingers crossed).

Let me know what you guys think. I really appreciate the feedback and suggestions. The next chapter is going to be more focus on Hermione and Harry. I haven't decided if I was going to speed up through the years just yet or not, but so far, Harry, Hermione, and Draco are still infants (3-4 years old).

Oh, and if you haven't noticed I changed the title of the story and the description a bit. I always had plans to change it, I just didn't know what to.


	5. Chapter 5

**I finally got a Beta guys! I've been in need of one for a while now but never knew how to get one. I met this beautifully bitchy person during the summer and found out that we both read fanfic. Long story short, she's now my Beta and will be double checking my work to make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors before I update my chapters.**

 **Disclaimer: You know these characters aren't mine T^T** \- **My Beta did that btw**

* * *

 **1987**

"What'cha reading now, bookworm?"

Hermione looked up to see a skinny boy with dirty blonde hair and dark brown eyes. Freckles were sparsely spread across his cheeks and nose and his thin lips were twisted into a sneer. Aaron Masen III. His parents drove a really expensive car and wore expensive clothes, but his clothes were never as immaculate looking as theirs. Every time she's had a conversation with him, his clothes were messy and had some type of stain on them somewhere—and by conversation she meant it very loosely.

She sighed and responded without looking up. "Something you undoubtedly have never read."

She practically heard the glower his face transformed into.

"You can't even spell that word."

Her eyes remained on the pages in front of her but she quirked an a dark, perfectly shaped eyebrow at him. "Do you really believe that?"

He suddenly snatched the book out of her hands. She quickly stood up and reached for the book.

"Give it back Aaron! Mr. Daren said you're not allowed to mess with me anymore."

Aaron laughed as he dangled the book out of reach. "Mr. Daren isn't here, now is he? What are you reading about anyway? Who reads during recess?"

He flipped through the pages unnecessarily rough.

"Be careful! That's my mom's. This isn't funny Aaron!" She crossed her arms and stomped her foot. She barely held back the pout, knowing he would only use it further as ammunition against her.

Aaron stopped holding the book above his head and tucked it under his arm.

"You know, if you didn't read so much, people would like you more."

"Has it ever occurred to you that I don't care if you like me or not? Why I want you to like me anyway, you're nothing but a bully!' Hermione quickly snatched the book away from him.

Aaron frowned. "I'm not a bully. "

"I would beg to differ." A voice said.

"Harry!" Hermione smiled.

Harry stopped glaring at Aaron long enough to give Hermione a bright smile. "Hey Mimi, is he bothering you?"

"What's it you Potter?"

Harry stepped forward with his fists balled. Hermione stood in front of him, her forehead reaching his chin. Oh, the perils of being short.

"Stop it right now, Harry. You know what Lily said if you get in trouble for fighting again." She stood on her tippy toes so she could look him in the eye seriously. But in reality she was eye to eye with his chin.

Harry rolled his eyes.

She took a step back, standing between the two boys with her hands fisted firmly on her hips. "Besides, I don't need you to protect me from everything."

Aaron let out a sharp laugh. "You're just a little girl with a mouth too big for her own good. What are you gonna do, read me to death?" He laughed at his own joke.

Hermione's fists tightened and she glared at Aaron fiercely. Suddenly, Aaron let out a shrill shriek. He began furiously patting down the sleeve on his left arm where a small spark was lit. It was slowly eating away at his white and blue plaid button down. Harry and Hermione took a step back at his frantic movements caused him to swing his arm around wildly and he wasn't paying much attention to where he was going. His screams caught the attention of the other children and the few professors on the playground. Two professors came running over, but before they could reach the three of them Aaron had already tripped over a thick tree branch growing out of the grown and fell face flat.

Harry and Hermione sat with their hands in their lap as Lily looked down at them disapprovingly. Aaron sat three chair down clutching a bloodied napkin to his nose and his arm was being tended to by the nurse. They could barely make out a patch of red skin from the way he was facing away from him.

"We have reason to believe it was your children that started the fire, gentlemen." Headmistress Jones calmly stated. The Masens were glaring at James and Sirius, the latter whom casually stood with his arms crossed listening to the headmistress relay Aaron's story.

"I don't think you gentlemen understand the severity of this situation. Your children could have seriously harmed, not only Mr. Masen, but also themselves by playing with matches." The headmistress finally got fed up with their lackadaisical demeanor.

"Matches that you never saw," Sirius pointed out with a shrugged.

"And what makes you think that it was our children that even had the matches. Maybe Mr. Masen over there was playing with them and accidentally started the fire?" James added.

"Our son knows better than to play with fire." Mrs. Masen turned her nose up James, looking at his clothes up and down.

Lily bristled and tensed when she noticed the look. She stood in front of her husband and pointed a finger at the woman's chest. "And just what are you implying about our children? That they weren't taught such a thing? I'd hate to break your prissy little bubble, Mrs. Masen, but our children were brought up with the utmost care and taught the dangers of playing with fire just as well as your son. And let me just point out that it was your son that started the altercation, if I recall correctly. It was your son that was bullying my friend's daughter, whom he has a history of picking on. Or shall I remind you of the last time you were called here? Your son was told to leave Hermione alone on multiple occasions. You may have taught your child not to play with fire but you never taught him how to be a decent little boy with manners and respect towards women. And if you ask me, the world could use more decent young men with respect for young women."

"Go Lily-kins." James whispered.

Mrs. Masen gasped. "How dare you—?"

Mr. Masen put a hand up stopping his wife. "Karen, please."

"But she—"

"I said enough."

Karen Masen pouted before she quickly fixed her face. Mr. Masen looked at the Potters, then Sirius, and then finally the headmistress. "Look, there is no way of telling who started the fire. Aaron does not recall seeing any matches, there were none found at the scene, and Aaron admits to messing with the little girl. I say we give each of the children a few days off from school so that they may learn their lesson and forget this ever happened."

"But dad!" Aaron spoke up for the first time since they entered the office. "I have a game tomorrow and coach said that if we miss a day of school we can't play in the game."

"Well you should have thought of that before you decided to pick on that little girl. I have told you already, if you like a girl, you buy her jewelry and tell her she's pretty. Not steal her belongings and pull on her hair. Masen men are charming, not rude." Mr. Masen stared hard at his son, who flushed under all the attention in the room. "Besides you're nine, it's not like you have any scouts coming to these games of yours."

Harry glowered at the boy as he noticed Hermione's blush. Aaron peeked at her out the corner of his eye.

"I don't like her." He grumbled under his breath.

The Masens left shortly after the nurse finished applying burn ointment and wrapping a bandage around his forearm.

"If you are done reprimanding our children for something you have no proof of them doing, I think we'll leave." Lily straightened the purse on her shoulder.

Harrys sighed and slid out the chair. James put a hand on his shoulder and walked him out the room, Lily following behind. Sirius stood back, staring at Hermione, whose head was still down, not making contact. He sighed at how small she looked in that daunting chair.

He nodded his head towards the door, even though she couldn't see. "Let's go little devil."

Hermione slowly trudged down and out of the room. The walk home was silent. The Potters walked a couple yards ahead of Sirius and Hermione.

"Are you going to tell me what really happened?" Sirius asked quietly.

"Depends, are you going to get mad at me?"

"Hermione." Sirius said seriously. He hardly ever used that tone with her.

"It was an accident. I know I'm not supposed to use it, but it keeps happening." She replied, just as quietly.

"Hermione. I've told you that it is connected to your emotions. You have to find a way to keep them under control."

"I can't help it. He kept saying things about how little and weak I was. And he took mom's journal."

Regulus hadn't given him a lot of things after he left Hermione with him. Regulus was in a bit of a rush and only brought a few things from him, and as Regulus was the last remaining heir of the House of Black, Sirius could not gain access to Grimmauld Place. Besides a few nappies, some clothes of Hermione's that he'd accumulated, and a blanket, Regulus only left behind a few trinkets of his and Helen's. One was Helen's journal.

He never read it, truthfully, he was afraid to. Regulus had left behind a small trunk filled with odd trinkets in it, a lot he suspected belonged to Helen that Regulus had sentimental attachment to. He finally looked through it with Hermione on her fifth birthday, after Hermione had began to ask questions about where 'her Lily' was. It damn near broke his heart to hear her ask such a thing. Of course he knew he she would become curious one day and that he'd have to face that fact that he can't always be both mom and dad, but he still wasn't prepared. The fact that she didn't say mom, but rather 'her Lily' tore his heart to pieces further.

On some level she knew what a mom was and that she had one some point, but she wasn't here now. She wanted a figure that could be for her what Lily was for Harry. Lily was amazing and made sure to never leave Hermione out. But she wasn't her mom. Harry had James and she had Sirius. But Harry also had Lily and she had...nobody.

So Lily told him that perhaps he should come clean about everything. And he did. Mostly everything, anyway. He told her about Regulus, and how Regulus was his younger brother and he was the one that gave him to her. And that her mother, Helen, she died when she was born. She seemed to understand Helen's death but she asked a lot of questions about Regulus. Where was he now? Why did he leave her here? Why didn't he and Regulus get along? Was Sirius not her father anymore.

It was tough. And one of the biggest helps of all during this time, and he'd chew his own tail off before he'd admit it, was Severus Snape.

Severus Snape was Reggie's best friend. Despite the fact that he was a year behind him, Snape had found that one person who he'd found that he could be his complete self with. He held back a lot with Lily, out of fear that she would run screaming someday like her sister did. But Regulus and Severus had a lot more in common than people thought. From opposite sides of social and economic bars, they had both witnessed long term abuse of people they cared the most about. They both felt the weight of the names they carried and reluctantly were forced to live up to, in Severus' case his mother's family. They had reached out to him his sixth year after his father finally hit his mother a bit too hard. His grandfather wanted to make amends and reconnect, and despite his reluctance, he found himself clinging to the last bit of family that he had left.

Severus knew Helen as well. They weren't friends, even in secret. Helen was kind to him, always, but he knew she disagreed with a lot of things that he did. Regulus looked up to Severus, and Helen didn't like the path that Severus was quickly turning down. But he knew her from how much Reggie talked about her. So that was why Sirius drunk floo'd Snape one rainy afternoon when Hermione and Harry were napping.

Snape came over and yelled at Sirius, for putting Hermione, and by extension Harry, at danger by getting so drunk in the afternoon. He then sneeringly told him to get himself together. Sirius never been one for understanding personal boundaries, wrapped himself around Snape and began pouring his heart out. After relenting to Sirius' embrace (Sirius was very strong when drunk) he told him that Regulus gave Hermione to him for a reason. That was enough to get Sirius' attention.

 _"You're not her father. You never were and you never will be."_

 _Sirius face fell even deeper than it did before, Sirius didn't even know that it was possible. He already looked pathetic before. But now it was past embarrassing._

 _"You can't hold yourself in Regulus place because even though he's gone, he will always be there. He's her father. And Helen is her mother."_

 _"I thought you were trying to make me feel better." Sirius deadpanned. His eyes were void of any emotion._

 _Snape snorted. "Make no mistake. My mission in life is make you as miserable as possible."_

 _Sirius looked away._

 _"But for some reason, that I will never understand, Regulus trusted you to take care of her and love her like your own. Which means that I have an obligation to Hermione to make sure that you are in the proper shape to uphold your promise to Regulus. Therefore, I will tell you this, one time and one time only. You may never be her father, but you will always be her dad. That's something Regulus can never take from you. You raised that little girl sleeping in that room and been there for through every cry and whine, and diaper change. And no amount of secret journals or stories about her father's Hogwarts adventures will change that."_

Severus stayed for a couple more hours as Sirius sobered up and watched over Harry and Hermione while they napped.

Sirius finally could answer her questions. Hermione seemed to grasp everything. And she even sensed Sirius mood and hugged him, thanking him for being her Papa. That's how she made the distinction between he and Regulus. She called Regulus her father and Sirius her Papa. He even caught her bragging to Harry once that she had two dads. But Hermione had more questions. Ones he really couldn't answer. So that's when he turned to Helen's journal.

He never read it, truthfully, he was afraid to.

He also felt like it was an invasion of privacy. Hermione devoured that book slowly, at the age of six and seven, learning to read at those ages. But by the time she turned at she had read that journal cover to cover seventeen times. Learning more and more as read it. He didn't want to ask her what was in the book. One time he even swore he heard her talking back to it, but Lily told him to not say anything to her about. It was her way of coping and connecting with the mom that she lost before she had a chance to have her.

"Hermione, stop for a second." Sirius kneeled down in front of Hermione taking each hand in his own. His large hands dwarfing hers.

"I know your mom's journal means a lot to you. But this is only the beginning. People will always try to hurt your feelings and knock you down. It is my job to protect from as much as I can, but I won't always be there."

She opened her mouth to say something but he squeezed her hands lightly.

"I know that you are not a baby and that you can protect yourself. Not only because you are a Witch or even because you are a little something _extra_ ," he gave her a look, "but because you are my daughter. I raised a strong and beautiful little girl who could never be described as anything close to weak. So when you let people get the best of you, when you let them have control over your emotions, you let them win. You give them a little bit of power over you, and trust me baby, you never want anybody to have power over you. Because then they take advantage of that."

Hermione looked into his eyes searchingly. She nodded slowly.

Sirius nodded and patted her on the shoulder encouragingly. "Good. Now with that being said," he snuck a peak at Lily, James, and Harry ahead of them. "Good job. But if you're going to set someone on fire, makes sure you don't leave behind any evidence."

Hermione giggled making Sirius smile.

"I think you should seriously consider calling Narcissa about it Sirius." Lily said to him later that afternoon. Harry and Hermione were doing their homework in the living room with the help of James. Or more like Hermione helping James help Harry with his.

"And tell her what, Lily? That my daughter can do things that haven't been heard of in centuries? I don't see how she would be of any help anyway."

Lily puffed a strand of her hair out of her face as she continued to do the dishes. "Her magic—well, her other magic is natural-based. It has to do with the elements of the earth. And Narcissa had some of the highest Herbology scores this decade. So she may be able to help Hermione with some aspect of it. Not to mention that Narcissa is utmost a society woman. She's knows everyone. Perhaps she knows someone that could help Mione control these new powers."

"The less people that know about them the better, Lily. I don't even want to think of what would happen if the wrong person would catch wind of her. If you're research is correct than my little monster is more than just a bit more special than the rest." Said Sirius seriously.

Lily looked at Sirius and could see fear written all over his face. She could understand where he was coming from. Hermione had been showcasing Elemental magic, some of the oldest magic known to wizards.

"I know you're scared Sirius. But if we don't help Hermione understand her own powers she'll never be able to control them. She'll feed off of your own fear and it will prevent her from embracing her powers."

Sirius chewed on his lip in deep thought. He knew there was really no thought necessary. Lily was right. She was always right. But this was his baby girl. He just doesn't want to lose her.

"I'll call her, Lily. But only because I know in the long term it will be better for her."

Lily rubbed in his shoulder soothingly. "It will be."

* * *

 **It has really been a while. Didn't meant to take so long in updating, I just kept going through periods of writer's block. Kind of a short chapter, I know, but after this things will start to pick up speed more. More information about Hermione's "powers" will be next chapter.**

 **Also, I really wish you guys could see my Beta's comments when she's editing my chapters. She's not a HP fan so she thought that Sirius and Regulus were a thing and gave them the name Siritus. Lmao. I guess it wouldn't be that far fetched knowing the Black family, but still. No-Just no.**

 **Any questions or comments, you know where to leave them.**


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